Field Hockey

[PhoenixFire]

Playing later on today against Wakefield 5s, should be a good close match, except were playing on grass

 

[Sir Redman]

Had my first game of the season today. We won 6-0, though the standard was pretty poor. I played reasonably well, scoring one goal, but generally the ball just wouldn't fall for me. There must have been half a dozen occasions where I'd be in on the keepers pads while the ball was played through to me only for someone to get a slight touch on the way through and wrong foot me.

We finally had our sand turf converted to a water turf over summer, and it's such a relief to play on it after having permanently grazed knuckles for the last ten winters.

 

[Kweek]

Had my first game of the season today. We won 6-0, though the standard was pretty poor. I played reasonably well, scoring one goal, but generally the ball just wouldn't fall for me. There must have been half a dozen occasions where I'd be in on the keepers pads while the ball was played through to me only for someone to get a slight touch on the way through and wrong foot me.

We finally had our sand turf converted to a water turf over summer, and it's such a relief to play on it after having permanently grazed knuckles for the last ten winters.

awesome


lately my team has been hit by lets swear at the referee, in 3 matches weve got 2 red cards and 6! yellow cards...today we were 3-0 infront after 45 minutes...then some some dickhead who already got 2 yellow cards in the last 2 matches threw his hockey stick away(behind the goal) that hard and swore at the ref(that's where he gets his cards all the time, his tally is on 8 this season) direct red card...we were so pissed off at him, then a guy in my team who is 1.65 and tiny, tried to shove/push a guy who was 1.85 and huge...and he got yellow...we played 3-3 in the end...
we've decided to suspend the guy who got red, for a few more matches, that'll learn him

 

[PhoenixFire]

I just played the last match of the season for Ben Rhydding mens, and celebrated it by getting concussed again.

 

[Swingpanzee]

Thread resurrection of peace

Anyone else follow this sport?

 

[Chubb]

Thread resurrection of peace

Anyone else follow this sport?

I started playing 5 years ago now & I absolutely love it. In fact, I prefer playing hockey to cricket these days. Just wish I had the opportunity/desire to play when I was younger as it's pretty difficult to pick up stick skills as a left handed guy at the age I started.

 

[Swingpanzee]

Yeah.

Insane final between the Kookaburras and Belgium. One of the best hockey matches I've watched (although I've only started following the sport since the past year). So neck-to-neck, a bit gutted for Belgium but Australia deserved it.

 

[Swingpanzee]

I started playing 5 years ago now & I absolutely love it. In fact, I prefer playing hockey to cricket these days. Just wish I had the opportunity/desire to play when I was younger as it's pretty difficult to pick up stick skills as a left handed guy at the age I started.

Yeah I'm left handed too. I haven't ever played it and I reckon at my age (almost 18) it might be a bit tough to pick up stick skills. Ah well, if I ever get the chance to play I might just have a go at it.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Someone explain why deliberately whacking a shot at an opponent's leg gets rewarded with a penalty corner.

 

[Chubb]

Someone explain why deliberately whacking a shot at an opponent's leg gets rewarded with a penalty corner.

That is annoying, and it doesn't make for the best spectacle. In field hockey the player in possession has all the rights short of barging into people (not that I let it stop me), so part of the skill of defending is to keep your legs away from the ball. I barely know the rules though!

I do think sometimes there is also too much emphasis on safety which negates some of the skills players are capable of. One of the best goals I've ever seen, at the 2012 Olympics, came after a long overhead bounced into the D, the keeper charged out & the striker tipped the ball over his head (as a batsman would tip one over the wicketkeeper, like Brendan Taylor does). It was disallowed for raising the stick. They've loosened up that rule a bit but it would still be illegal.

That said, being hit by a hockey ball is obviously not a pleasant experience, and nor is getting whacked with a stick.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

like for a serious answer to a semi-trolling question

 

[Lillian Thomson]

England's women have won the European Championship.

 

[Meridio]

In a penalty shootout no less. Wonders never cease.

 

[Chubb]

Don’t know if an Olympics subforum is planned, so I’m bumping this thread for anyone interested in the Olympic field hockey.

Hockey is the best game around apart from cricket, don’t @ me.

Games start Saturday.

Pools:

Men
Pool A: Australia, Argentina, India, Spain, New Zealand, Japan
Pool B: Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Canada, South Africa

Women
Pool A: Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, India, South Africa
Pool B: Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, China, Japan

Here are some cliché-ridden thoughts:

Mens

The current NZ mens team is a work in progress following several retirements since Rio, and I don’t expect them to get far.

Australia and the Dutch are always strong and Argentina are the defending champions. Have also heard the Canadians have a strong side this year.

I feel no connection to the British team as I never got the chance to play hockey in the UK and learned it in NZ. In fact I would always support their opponents.

My money would be on Belgium. They have a similar Golden Generation to their current football side and got the silver in Rio.

Sadly my 2nd team Malaysia did not qualify!!


Womens

The NZ women are pretty good but they lost Kayla Whitelock to injury in a warm-up series and I don’t think they will challenge.

Australia are a mess with massive issues, a horrible toxic atmosphere, allegations of bullying, body-shamingx, homophobia and a damning report into culture that has never been released publicly. If they do well it will be extraordinary. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ure-as-coach-resigns-months-out-from-olympics

Ireland were a major surprise at the last women’s world cup and will look to surprise again. Britain are decent. But the Netherlands will be favourites.

 

[honestbharani]

I love Hockey but the artificial turfs and the same surface etc have made it one dimensional, like they did with tennis with the heavier balls and slower courts across the world circa 2007. Just not the same anymore. And I lost interest due to that.

 

[Chubb]

I love Hockey but the artificial turfs and the same surface etc have made it one dimensional, like they did with tennis with the heavier balls and slower courts across the world circa 2007. Just not the same anymore. And I lost interest due to that.

I never saw it before artificial so can't really compare. I think the skill level and speed of play is incredible but it will sadly never be a major spectator sport, despite being a truly global one.

 

[honestbharani]

I never saw it before artificial so can't really compare. I think the skill level and speed of play is incredible but it will sadly never be a major spectator sport, despite being a truly global one.

It was so much more fun to watch on the natural gas. I even attended games in person when it was so. Star Sports and the Hockey Federation in India tried a PHL way before the IPL, which was on the same city based franchise lines with 4 quarters instead of 2 halves etc., making it very TV friendly and also a fun spectator sport. Sadly it never caught on coz for whatever reason the Hockey boards in India are much more corrupt and incompetent than even the BCCI was in those days.

 

[Chubb]

Whoa Japan giving the Kookaburras a scare right now. By ranking it should be straightforward for Australia but their defence got caught napping twice and it’s now 3-2 Japan!

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Owned by the state sponsored PED program...

 

[Meridio]

Man they really need to increase the frame rate on the cameras for this. The ball moves so fast there's metres in between frames on video referral and you can't see what's happened.

Our men's team has dropped off a lot in the last few years but we really need to beat India here to have a chance of going through